1. Assessing the journey: online
conversation as a means of active
learning in information literacy
Geoff Walton
Senior Researcher (I-ACT) &
Academic Skills Tutor Librarian
(Information Services)
Staffordshire University
LILAC Glasgow 12th April 2012

2. Epiphany - A sudden, intuitive perception
of or insight into the reality or essential
meaning of something, usually initiated
by some simple, homely, or
commonplace occurrence or experience.
I’m not suggesting it will be a
religious experience today, but it
may – hopefully – be an
epiphany for some 
St Peter’s church, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland

3. The Plan
Start with my theory and my theory alone
 The blended learning and teaching intervention
structure
 In their own words – what did the students
actually think about this process?
 What did the students actually do? Online
discourse
The evidence
Back to the discourse – can we assess it – is
there enough in student postings to determine
information literacy learning?
Final thoughts
Any questions?

4. Which do
you think
is Becoming information literate takes place in a wider
the
most context determined by roles, norms and tasks
social
important
sphere - Find/
Spheres
access/
1st choice can occur
locate
Green, in no
second Evaluate/ Use/ particular
choice discern communicate/ order
Amber, produce
third
choice sphere triggers its own set of behavioural,
Each
Pink?
cognitive, metacognitive and affective states

5. The blended learning and teaching intervention
structure for the core module...
Research and professional development in sport
& exercise level 4

6.  Small group work
 Problems to solve or questions to answer
 Learning by doing – tasks – hands-on etc
 Involves behaviour, thinking, negotiating meaning
with others, reflecting
 Discourse between students
 Discourse between tutor and students
 Visible outputs by students which are routinely
recognised by the tutor and shared with the
group
 Formal assessment

7.  Students submit 500 word essay in
induction week in answer to a question
such as – “What defines success in sport?”
 Essay marked and returned within 2
weeks
 Weeks 6, 7 and 8 submit 800 word
assignment for online peer assessment
 Week 12 submit final 1500 word
assignment

8. Week Lecture Workshop
1 Introduction to the module Reflecting on the essay process
2 Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Learning Styles
3 Developing Research Skills Using e-resources
4 Plagiarism and Referencing Internet based session
5 Writing Styles (1): The written word Understanding plagiarism and referencing
6 Writing Styles (2): Report Writing, Online Peer assessment: Essay introduction
Reading and Summarising
7 Assessment, feedback and revision Online Peer assessment: Essay main body
8 Introduction to Qualitative Research OnlinePeer assessment: Essay conclusion and
bibliography
9 Introduction to Quantitative Research Qualitative Methodologies - choosing the right
methodology
10 Qualitative Research (2) Quantitative Methodologies – becoming
acquainted with statistical concepts
11 Quantitative Research (2) Working with Qualitative / Quantitative data
12 Module summary Working with Qualitative / Quantitative data

9.  112 students in 7 online tutor groups (2007-08)
 111 students in 7 online tutor groups (2008-09)
 162 students in 8 online tutor groups (2009-10)
 171 students In 10 online tutor groups (2010-11)
 159 students in 9 online tutor groups (2011-12)
 Week 1 Activity
 Discussion concentrated on the Essay Introduction
 Week 2 Activity
 Discussion focused on the Essay Main Body
 Week 3 Activity
 Discussion centred on the Essay Conclusion and references
 Within groups students expected initially to post comments in pairs

10.  Forum – Peer Assessment
 Thread - Students posted their draft essay
 Seed – What are the criteria for writing a good
assignment?
 Task - Read criteria for good essay structure
 Resource - Assignment Survival Kit (ASK) step 9
 Task - Make comments, give feedback to fellow
students and discuss issues
 Diversity of tutor behaviour
 Some summarised discussion and posted this before
next session only
 Some participated in ongoing discussion and posted a
summary

11. http://www.staffs.ac.uk/ask

12. http://www.staffs.ac.uk/refzone

13. “[...] Be careful with punctuation and use of
brackets when referencing.”
Whatreferences could include more information
“Your
did they actually do?
such as page numbers.”
“[...] Watch your referencing in the main text,
“Yourintroduction, well list are books as title
only whole reference referenced the well
author and date is need (sic), not
“Goodcould use references from (sic)however
“[...] includeuse academic references websites.
“[...] try to more [sources] that are more up- instead
you of the bookto use books as its easyer (sic) as
could internet” journal.”
may need or
as theyou know reference the bit about the
to-date.”
of autobiographies.”
Indianapolis Colts football team,they are
you dont (sic) have to worry if nice one
“[...] four of your refences (sic) have not got the
mate.” and name of publishers.”
credible? “
place
“[...] you have to put the name of the author
before the journal/book! i (sic)
The equivalent of this but in the virtual
didnt (sic) do that either on mine but i (sic) have
just reallized (sic) and learned something from
domain other peoples comments”
reading

14.  Multiple contributions by many students.
 Every student made at least one
contribution.

15. The evidence?
Grades taken for 500 word
and 1500 word submissions
Statistical test indicated a significant difference
between students’ performance (n=32) on the
two assignments (t (1, 74) = 11.380, p<.001).
For assignment one, the mean across both
groups was 40.22% with a standard deviation of
6.50; for assignment two, the mean across both
groups was 57.92% with a standard deviation of
7.05. An increase of TWO grade points!!

16. In their own words – what did the students
actually think about it?
90% 
10% 
It was a very good exercise. A lot of
I found it was provided which enabled
feedback a good exercise. It gave me
a chance to get my workof feedback
me to progress a range to a much
The feedback gained will make my
on my essay fromSome comments
higher standard. both my tutor and
summative submission better because
my peers helped me with their good.
were short but some werethe
peers. It also gave me very
opportunity good to through in all our
It would be toIread use this other
feedback and found it good to read
assessments. It motivates you to get
essays and and gather similar writing
their work comment on their ideas
style had worked well for them get
the work done so that you can (student
that (student 15)
feedback (student 54)
91)

17.  Needles in haystacks or an embarrassment of riches?
 Task: In the handout there is a real extract from a
discussion board activity.
 Try to mark some of the discourse using the criteria.
 You are looking for evidence of learning within the
student postings
 Be ready to discuss your thoughts and feelings
regarding the exercise
 Handout contains - Text of the IL theory, extract of
online discourse, a marking scheme and the module
programme

18. • Staff feedback very
positive.
• Students enjoy it.
• Students
comfortable with
online social
networking
environment.
• Research indicates
usable generic
template for online
discourse.
• Potential to assess
online discourse?

20.  Students in circle
 http://irudiak.argazkiak.org/276df12b972b1b876
f80402474acdf8d_c.jpg
 St Peters – Rob Bishop
 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/139180